4 ways AEW is dominating WWE in 2025 so far

Although WWE is still regarded by many as the premier pro-wrestling brand in North America, the company has faced stiff competition in recent years with the foundation and growth of AEW. The two promotions employ some of the best talents in the world currently, with many well-known stars having jumped ship both ways lately.

World Wrestling Entertainment has experienced a popularity resurgence following changes to its creative regime, which has translated to record ticket sales and live show attendance. However, the company's programming and product continue to have its share of issues. While the same undoubtedly applies to All Elite Wrestling, there are certain points on which Tony Khan and his promotion hold the edge over the sports entertainment juggernaut.

WWE just aired the go-home edition of Monday Night RAW en route to Elimination Chamber 2025 from Cincinnati, Ohio. With the show in our rear-view mirror, let us consider the ways in which AEW has been the dominant brand of the two recently.

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#1. AEW has been better at booking its top stars

WWE's reputation as the biggest wrestling company in North America has allowed the promotion to hire and retain many of the sport's best and brightest names. However, having recourse to an excess of top guys can often result in some of these names not being booked as well and as strongly as may be warranted, or when compared to others.

Consider, for example, the frustrations reportedly expressed by Drew McIntyre backstage regarding his Road to WrestleMania. Consider, furthermore, the uncertainties surrounding the future creative of Seth Rollins, CM Punk, and Roman Reigns ahead of The Show of Shows, in light of John Cena's resolve to win the Elimination Chamber and The Rock's bizarre offer to Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes.

Despite having the requisite star power at its disposal, WWE's utilization (or lack thereof) of the wrestlers mentioned above in its recent television programming has elicited some criticism lately. AEW, on the other hand, has seemingly tried to focus its attention on showcasing and spotlighting its top stars regularly on its weekly shows.

Several examples can be cited to support this argument - for instance, the explosive, burgeoning feud between Hangman Page and MJF, the gradually escalating rivalry between Swerve Strickland and Ricochet, the rise of The Hurt Syndicate, the pushes recently accorded to Konosuke Takeshita and Kyle Fletcher, and their battles against Kenny Omega and Will Ospreay.

All of these names have been featured prominently on AEW Dynamite and AEW Collision over the past several months, and will likely factor in significantly on the path to All In Texas later this year.

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#2. AEW has been booking women better than WWE

Both AEW and WWE have stacked rosters in both the men's and the women's divisions. The Triple H-led promotion recently scored big with blockbuster signings like Stephanie Vaquer, Giulia, Zaria, and Jordynne Grace. Unfortunately, while NXT continues to receive praise for its booking and presentation of its female talent, the same has not necessarily been the case for the main roster.

A recent report suggests that multiple women wrestlers competing on RAW and Smackdown have been dissatisfied with their creativity. This tallies with similar opinions shared by fans online, who have called out WWE for failing to craft interesting storylines featuring women consistently on its flagship weekly shows, despite introducing two new mid-card titles for the division recently.

In contrast, AEW seems to have a relatively firmer grasp on its handling of the All Elite women's division. The promotion is carrying on its acclaimed Women's World Title program between Toni Storm and Mariah May. Recently, it succeeded in making a new star in Harley Cameron through her TBS Championship rivalry with Mercedes Mone. Furthermore, the promotion is seemingly building angles around The Vendetta, and pushing the newly-debuted Megan Bayne.

This is not to mention other rivalries in the making, such as between Queen Aminata and Serena Deeb, and between Willow Nightingale and Marina Shafir - the latter seem to be headed towards a match, after their recent clashes on TV. On the other hand, this week on RAW, WWE crowned new Women's World Tag Team Champions without resolving the mystery of the assault on Jade Cargill, which viewers have waited some time for.

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#3: AEW has been superior at matchmaking

WWE has seemingly committed to leaning into its status as a so-called "storytelling entity". While this has not led to the company doing away with in-ring competition, its employees and fans often distinguish its product for its supposed emphasis on long-running angles and intricate storylines.

AEW, on the contrary, has marketed itself as the brand where "the best wrestle" - as such, the Tony Khan-led promotion and its talents have consistently been pushing the envelope in the squared circle. This is most apparent in the sheer diversity of unique match types and stipulations the company has developed since 2019.

Consider, for example, AEW's numerous Casino-themed bouts, each with its own set of rules - such as the classic Casino Battle Royal, the Casino Ladder Match, and the more recent Casino Gauntlet Match. Other interesting matches hosted by the promotion include Anarchy in the Arena, Stadium Stampede, and Blood and Guts (AEW's own take on WarGames).

In-ring work is rarely divorced from wrestling storytelling in practice. It seems well-advised for All Elite Wrestling to play to its strengths and build on its status as a promotion that presents a compelling and diverse range of matchups for its audience.

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#4: AEW is better at executing lengthy storylines

Most of WWE's most popular programs recently have been angles that have been in progress for extended stretches of time. The most well-known of these was obviously The Bloodline saga, which began with Roman Reigns and The Usos joining forces and hoarding the top belts of their respective divisions, and seemingly concluded with Cody Rhodes unseating The Tribal Chief last year at WrestleMania.

The ripple effects of The Bloodline angle are still being felt every week in WWE because it ran for nearly four years. While it certainly elevated the wrestlers involved in the story, many argued at various points that it had overstayed its welcome, owing to its repetitive narrative beats (Reigns retaining his titles and power with The Usos' help).

Roman's former Shield teammate Jon Moxley recently channeled The OTC on AEW television. The One True King became the AEW World Champion last year, and has held on to the belt through his defenses courtesy of interference from his "soldiers", The Death Riders. The similarities between Moxley's reign of terror, and Reigns' record-setting Universal Title run, have not been lost on fans.

Like with The Bloodline story, numerous viewers have criticized The Death Riders' ongoing carnage for supposedly growing stale as an act in spite of a strong start and an intriguing premise. Unlike WWE, however, AEW has already planted the seeds for Moxley to be dethroned by Darby Allin, presumably at All In Texas.

Furthermore, since Tony Khan supposedly books on a more week-to-week basis, he could very well pull the trigger on Allin (or other worthy candidates like Hangman Page) winning the AEW World Championship prior to All In. Such flexibility might allow All Elite Wrestling to refresh its World Title picture sooner rather than later, unlike in WWE, whose primary World Champions are seemingly caught up in what Drew McIntyre has humorously dubbed "The Bloodline Vortex".